In case of govt, judiciary showdown PPP will stand by institutions: Bilawal

LAHORE: Taking a clear position for the first time since the initiation of Panama case proceedings against the Sharif family, the PPP has now come out with a clear-cut stance on the issue that it would stand by the institutions in case of any showdown between the government and the judiciary.

In a policy statement issued here, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari warned that there will be stiff resistance from the PPP side if the PML-N adopted confrontational course against the constitutional institutions.

PPP chairman cautioned that any collision with the institutions will be dangerous for both the democracy and the country. He further stated that PPP will not allow the PML-N to rock the boat.

Bilawal’s statement has come at a time when the government has come out in the open in its criticism of the JIT probing the alleged corruption by the Sharif family.

Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah on Thursday said that it would be hard for the PML-N to accept the JIT investigation if his party’s reservations against two of its members are not addressed. He alleged that JIT was overstepping its mandate by trying to extract statements of its choice by threatening the accused. The other day, the law minister had hinted at launch of agitation against the JIT investigation.

Prime Minister’s Political Assistant Asif Kirmani also came down hard on the JIT while taking to the media outside the judicial academy on Thursday. He used very harsh words against the JIT members and remarked they had tried to humiliate Hussain Nawaz by leaking his picture taken in the investigation room.

This policy statement by the PPP chief was issued by party’s central Punjab Secretary Information Mustafa Nawaz Khokar after a party meeting at Bilawal House Lahore.

In his statement, Bilawal Bhutto pointed out that country’s institutions had been raised and made stronger with the sacrifices of the PPP leadership. He said nobody will be allowed to sacrifice these constitutional institutions for one family. “Our leadership suffered judicial murders and we received dead bodies but we never indulged in confrontations with the institutions,” he said adding that “we sacrificed our Prime Ministers and elected governments but still we accepted decisions of the institutions.”

PPP chairman further said that party leaders sacrificed even their party offices to honor the court decisions. He asserted that Nawaz government should not remain in any misunderstanding that PPP will allow anyone to jump into confrontation with the institutions.

“Takht-e-Raiwind should forget that it will sacrifice the institutions for the sake of its family and we will remain silent,” he said.

The PPP chairman pledged that his party stood by country’s constitutional institutions and won’t allow Nawaz Sharif to repeat his past. The PPP will stand like a rock against Takht-e-Raiwind if it attempted to degrade or insult the institutions, he concluded.

In the present situation, the ruling PML-N stands isolated as all the major political parties have shown concerns over its dealings of the JIT. Previously, the PPP has always supported the PML-N in its difficult times.